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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28328952">The Disappearance of Nakano Akane</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/rlucine/pseuds/rlucine'>rlucine</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Call of Cthulhu (Roleplaying Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Call of Cthulhu Scenario, Gen, Government Conspiracy, High School, Insanity, Murder Mystery, Parent Death, Rural Japan, Suicide</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2018-10-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2018-10-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:00:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,764</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28328952</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/rlucine/pseuds/rlucine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Scenario notes for an investigation into the disappearance of an eccentric high school girl that leads to deeper questions about government secrets, small-town corruption, and supernatural horrors lurking in the shadows.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Haruhara Jaya/Nakano Akane</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Background</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>These are background information and keepers' notes for an improvisational tabletop scenario.</p><p>I designed this as open-world, to be adapted around the player characters and dynamically changed as needed. Much of the truth, as well as events that occur when the players take action, are left up to the keeper. This isn't so much a fully formed scenario as it is a solid basis... but it was an unusual tidbit I had hanging around on my computer, and I thought it would be interesting to post.</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Background information on the scenario's setting and historical events.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>These are my unedited keeper's notes from the scenario (2018/9/28–2019/1/12). It's kind of an interesting read but keep in mind I didn't intend for this to teach another person how to run their own version.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h2>Higashi-Minato</h2><p>Higashi-Minato is a relatively interconnected and self-sufficient rural town with a direct link to Kamakura. The town is situated on a natural harbor on the Pacific Ocean. The center of the town is occupied by a basin, mostly rice paddies and farms, and presents an unobstructed view from the ocean to the surrounding mountains. Most residential buildings are located at the base of the mountains, and are an unplanned, jumbled compression of concrete walls, rusted metal, glass, weeds, and <i>shoji</i>. The middle to top of the mountains is densely wooded.</p>
<h3>Higashi-Minato Train Station</h3><p>A small split-platform train station made of concrete is situated between the rice fields and the ocean. Reaching the train station typically involves a ten minute walk, or a three minute drive down the mountain and through the roads between the paddies. The station is badly maintained, and the concrete is variously cracked, crumbling, covered in lichen, and sprouting weeds. The station is covered by a rusted metal roof that may once have been light blue. Rusted signs dangle at regular intervals with the words "Higashi-Minato" in hiragana and kanji.</p><p>The train station is reached via a small open-air booth that contains the ticket machines and a Coca-Cola vending machine. This booth is occupied by the ticket officer, usually Matsumoto. An open-air bathroom sits adjacent, although it is unpleasant to use and badly maintained as well, full of bugs and cobwebs.</p><p>A road leads up to the train station and ends at a parking lot, which typically holds a dozen cars. There is also a covered bike rack, which is more  frequently used.</p><p>The train comes every 30 minutes from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM. The fare to Kamakura is 100 yen.</p>
<h4>Higashi-Minato Scenic Railway</h4><p>The local train is an older, two-car model with a battered interior covered with hand grease. Paint is scuffed off by feet, and the seats are hard and worn. There is no air conditioning, but fans are mounted. The outside of the train used to be bright red, but it is equally worn. Various outdated advertisements are plastered inside. The train line consists of one set of rails and one train, which goes back and forth to Kamakura every 15 minutes (30 minute round trip).</p><p>The trip to Kamakura is a scenic view along the base of the mountains, where the ocean is visible. The tracks are variously overgrown by trees and weeds, and the side of the train is whipped by branches as it passes. One three-minute tunnel is used to bypass a mountain, somewhere around the middle.</p><p>The train can historically be blocked by landslides and flooding, but is otherwise always on time. A bus is commissioned if the train cannot run, which is expensive and only used in special cases. A downpour will fully prevent service, as it is too dangerous for either the train or the bus.</p>
<h4>Yama-no-Ue Dam Service Line</h4><p>A narrow open-air train exclusively used by construction workers also uses this station to connect to the dam in the mountains. Construction workers and equipment are moved with this train, which has led to a build-up of construction equipment near the station.</p><p>The service train is owned and run by the dam construction group, and as such operates at arbitrary times on an as-needed basis. It tends to travel out to the dam around 6:00 AM and return around 4:00 PM.</p>
<h3>Rice Paddies</h3><p>The rice paddies occupy the center of the town and are owned by a handful of farmers. This area is relatively flat, but contains various greenhouses, shacks, and the farmers' houses. It is uncommon for non-farmers to live here.</p><p>The paddies are frequently visited by water birds, such as egrets, and contain numerous tadpoles, toads, snails, and shrimp. The actual crops are well tended-to and pristine.</p><p>The paddies are bordered by several paved roads and drainage ditches.</p>
<h3>River and Drainage System</h3><p>Various tributaries carry water from the mountain down to the Pacific Ocean. Some small streams on the outskirts of the town are unfortified and shallow. The streams running through town have reinforced concrete or rock walls to prevent erosion. These larger channels provide an outlet for drainage ditches on the residential streets, and contain various freshwater life. Community members may be seen manually washing clothes here.</p>
<h3>Higashi-Minato Beach</h3><p>The port does not span the whole coastline - the majority of the coast is undeveloped beach. A concrete retaining wall separates the basin from the ocean, and prevents flooding. The sands at the lip of the ocean are rich with shells, sea life, and garbage. The beach is not maintained as a designated swimming area, although it is a frequent place of play for children and adults alike.</p>
<h4>Higashi-Minato Port</h4><p>The main area of the port is situated on the coast of Higashi-Minato, beyond the rice paddies and the train station. Several docks are used to moor a fleet of fishing boats, but large vessels are not supported here. A large fish market exists in the port, and serves as a community hub - Chef Takeshi's bar/restaurant is the mainstay, but most other fishermen and farmers own unique stalls, and may sell various trinkets and goods beyond just food.</p><p>The port structures are made of brutalistic concrete and wood, and not much green life is seen here. Stray animals and seagulls are attracted here.</p>
<h4>Higashi-Minato Fish Market</h4><p>This is a large community center full of water and fish scents where most commerce in town takes place. The stalls are lined with wood and decorated to taste with memorabilia. One would find the fish are incredibly fresh here, although different vendors may have specialties. Farmers also sell vegetables and rice here.</p><p>The port authority is based out of this fish market - as the town is incredibly small, the port authority also takes responsibility for the town's infrastructure, although the train lines and dam are subcontracted or owned outright by other companies. As there is no local police station, this is also the typical area where officers and officials are found.</p>
<h3>Residential Area</h3><p>The residential area consists of houses built haphazardly in the 60s and 70s. These houses have decent structural integrity and maintenance, but are jumbled together in unplanned ways. The roads connecting these houses are often steep, winding, and excessively narrow. The houses themselves are mishmashes of sliding doors, chipped wood, rusted metal, concrete, and roof tiles. Most properties are surrounded by a decorative concrete wall.</p><p>About 20% of the houses are unoccupied and lie in various states of abandon. The remaining occupied houses may also serve as fronts for local business, such as restaurants, salons, and craftsmen.</p>
<h4>Kiosk</h4><p>This chain convenience store is run by an older woman in town - Misaki Oda - and is nestled among the houses in an accessible location. It carries the most up-to-date items in town, such as one might buy in the city. New merchandise is brought in by a monthly supply truck.</p>
<h4>Kawagami Shrine</h4><p>A small shrine exists tucked away in a lot in the residential area. The shrine is not a building, but does feature a wish box, bell, and a source of holy water. It is maintained impeccably in traditional style, with Japanese gardens, bonsai, rocks, pools, and a torii at the entrance, aimed at the ocean.</p><p>The shrine serves as a local park for many residents, and is a common meeting place outside of homes. Festivals, if any, are held here.</p><p>A wooden fence respectfully separates a packed graveyard from the rest of the shrine grounds.</p>
<h4>Graveyard</h4><p>Behind the shrine, a jumbled, incense-smelling assortment of stone graves is compressed into as little area as possible. This is a surprisingly peaceful, natural escape from the rest of the houses. Community members may be seen tending to graves here.</p>
<h4>Vending Machines</h4><p>Numerous vending machines are maintained around town by Dydo and Coca-Cola.</p>
<h4>Empty Lot</h4><p>A large empty lot exists in the middle of the residential area. Bug enough and flat enough for sports, this dusty arena is typically used by children. Not much garbage has accumulated, but a set of three unused concrete sewer pipes are used as benches. Two net-less soccer goals stand on either end of the field.</p>
<h4>Junkyard</h4><p>Another empty lot is used for a junkyard. Piles of scrap metal, broken automobiles, tires, and construction junk left over from houses are forgotten here. Numerous stray animals hide here.</p>
<h3>Mountains</h3><p>Numerous densely wooded and landslide-prone mountains envelop Higashi-Minato and the Yama-no-Ue Dam.</p>
<h4>Roads</h4><p>A single narrow, weaving mountain road connects the main roads in Higashi-Minato to Kamakura and the Yama-no-Ue Dam. The drive is complex and significantly longer, due to the negotiation of mountains. It takes approximately 30 minutes to reach Kamakura this way. All manner of buses, construction equipment, and commuters can take this, although few commuters do.</p><p>The mountain road is bordered on one side by the woods, and on the other side by a guard-rail. The guard-rail is the only barrier between the road and a steep slope into the river or ravine below.</p><p>Driving quickly along these roads, or driving at a moderate pace on wet roads will require a Drive Auto check. Driving quickly in the rain requires a hard Drive Auto check. The guard rail can withstand a moderate-speed collision with a truck.</p>
<h4>Mori-no-Kami Temple</h4><p>A shrine to the local Kami, the <i>Mori-no-Kami</i>, is buried deep in the woods. It is accessible only by foot, although a small parking lot is supplied as an offshoot from the road. Journeying from the road to the shrine takes ten minutes by foot and involves a series of old rock staircases (recently reinforced with metal handrails) and dirt paths through forests of tall pines.</p><p>The shrine has fallen into disuse, although it still contains a statue of the kami in its main chamber, as well as several upper floors and catwalks.</p>
<h4>Abandoned Chairlift</h4><p>Large metal poles that used to be a chairlift remain in place along the mountain, although the trees have grown back around them. On either end, abandoned terminals exist that contain bathrooms, the mechanics of the lift, and seating areas. This structure was formerly used as a tourist attraction, but interfered with dam construction and was shut down. The lift no longer has any chairs, and so cannot be used.</p>
<h4>Weather Station</h4><p>A weather observatory sits at the peak of the mountains, with various antennae and meteorological instruments. This is sparsely manned and owned by the government of Kamakura for weather monitoring. This is the recommended location to go to for a Tsunami warning, although it is about ten minutes away by car. Due to the interest by the public, an observation deck overlooking Higashi-Minato exists, and the station provides small comforts such as vending machines and seating.</p>
<h2>Yama-no-Ue Dam</h2><p>The Yama-no-Ue Dam was constructed by the Yamamoto Construction Company from 1975 to 1985. The dam generates electrical power for the surrounding area, including Kamakura and Higashi-Minato; however, careful inspection of the equipment installed at site, the voltage in the wires, or the scope of power consumption of the surrounding area would reveal the dam produces far more power than the surrounding area consumes. The extra power is funneled into a containment system for a subterranean shipwreck of alien origin.</p>
<h3>Place</h3>
<h4>Bridge</h4><p>The top of the dam can be accessed by car on the automobile route from Higashi-Minato to Kamakura. A control booth overlooking the dam can be found here.</p>
<h4>Electric Generator</h4><p>A smaller concrete building near the bottom of the dam houses equipment and controls for the dam's electric output. This is typically only needed by technicians.</p>
<h4>Worker Housing</h4><p>A small hotel-like complex was built adjacent to the dam to house workers overnight. The complex is isolated and is no longer sufficient for the workers' needs,so many choose to commute to Higashi-Minato or Kamakura. Nevertheless, workers still use this outdated facility, and inspectors are offered room and board here.</p>
<h4>Abandoned Service Line</h4><p>A former service train line still exists in part. This line became unusable after landslides washed part away, and it was deemed unsafe. No trains are on this line, but features such as tunnels and retaining walls remain in places, wholly forgotten.</p>
<h3>Organizations</h3>
<h4>Higashi-Yama Water Authority</h4><p>Funding for the dam was generated by the innocuously named Higashi-Yama Water Authority (colloquially the Water Authority), which is a sanitized mask for operations in the area. Dam construction provided a convenient excuse to collect immense amounts of raw materials and construction equipment at the site; a later excuse was the construction of a "weather station" at the mountaintop to house additional scientific equipment.</p><p>During the construction of the dam, additional workers from the Water Authority made use of the tools on site to begin construction of an underground research and containment station.</p><p>The Water Authority can occasionally be observed traveling in vans to the dam or weather station. They never interact with citizens. Their goal has become ill-defined, starting at research of the area, then moving to protection, and eventually becoming an indistinguishable cult-like worship.</p>
<h4>Yamamoto Construction Company</h4><p>Construction of resources on site was completed by local construction workers to alleviate any suspicions of unusual activity in the region; the workers were arranged in a double-blind procedure, where workers were unaware of any unusual activity, and neither were the management. Construction operations were contracted by the Water Authority, and as such, that organization maintained strict control on the goings-on.</p><p>The only incident where a worker became aware of supernatural forces was that of Ryosuke Nakano, although workers on site would report high incidences of nightmares if asked.</p>
<h3>Shipwreck</h3><p>Research of the "otherworldly subterranean forces" discovered an intricate network of metal tunnels underground, which exhibited a pattern of organization beyond human comprehension. The Water Authority gained control of the surrounding area in 1972 after investigation of seismic activity revealed unusual electromagnetic forces beneath the surface; since then the spaceship is kept under intense secrecy.</p><p>Originally believed to be abandoned, investigation inside the ship led to suicides or insanity for anybody conducting research within; these were easier to cover up because of the strict secrecy of the Water Authority as a government organization.</p><p>The first levels of the dam are an actual hydroelectric power facility, and won't have any trace of unusual activity. There will be numerous people just going about their daily business—many employees of the Water Authority do not know about further parts of the facility, which would be marked with nondescript doors in parts of the dam tunnels.  These sub-levels contain people familiar with the true purpose of the dam, who will be prepared to defend it. People who have worked there longer would have gradually lost sanity. The shipwreck itself is accessible via a wide observation deck and construction room - only part of the wreck is unearthed, and a hole is cut into the side. This aperture is sealed with a high-tech lock.</p><p>Any break-in to the facility could compromise the lock and unleash the horrors inside the shipwreck. Madame Yi is currently confined there—as could be a shuggoth or tunnelers below.</p>
<h4>Tunnelers Below</h4><p>Tunnelers Below are drawn to the shipwreck and surrounding area, especially during events of high stress, violence, and emotion.</p>
<h4>Yidhra</h4><p>Yidhra is present at the shipwreck, for reasons humans can only guess at; perhaps the abundance of life attracted to the mystical energy of the wreck in turn attracted her hunger, or perhaps she seeks to gain power to use against the wreck. Regardless of her purpose, humans in close and long proximity to the ship become engrossed with its power, eventually becoming unable to separate their worship of the wreck from their jobs.</p>
<h4>Madame Yi • <span class="small">Avatar of Yidhra</span>
</h4><p>Madame Yi manifests to those closest and most knowledgeable about the wreck, or those with significant Mythos abilities, via dreams; her physical presence is confined to the wreck.</p><p>Madame Yi temps people with what they want most—she gives the illusion of agency; in reality, agreeing to her terms (remember and become a part of her, or forget everything) leads to her taking control. The choice simply determines whether someone is an active or passive agent to Yidhra's network. A person willfully resisting her cannot become part of her unless they break.</p><p>Being exposed to the truth of Yidhra's existence costs 1d20 sanity. Becoming part of Yidhra costs 1d100 sanity.</p>
<h4>Runes</h4><p>The runes covering the shipwreck provide contact with various spells, that can be casted immediately in situations of dire stress.</p>
<ul>
<li>

<p><strong>Burn</strong>: Costs 1 MP per 5 SIZ, and 1d10 sanity. Deals 1d10 damage to the target as they burst into flame and flesh melts off their body—seeing this causes an additional 1/1d6 sanity damage.</p>
</li>
<li>

<p><strong>Heal</strong>: Costs 12MP and 1 sanity. Over the course of 1d6 rounds, the target heals 1 HP per round.</p>
</li>
<li>

<p><strong>Torture</strong>: Costs 3 MP and 1 sanity. The target is tortured psychically for 1d6 rounds, which inflicts 1/1d6 sanity damage to them.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>1983 Construction Incident</h3><p>During Ryosuke Nakano's employment at the dam in 1983, a collapse occurred while building a retaining wall that caused himself and two other workers to fall into a previously unnoticed cave. Nakano surmised that this cave was carved out by partially redirected waters from the damming.</p><p>One of the workers, Tadashi Oda, was crushed by a boulder and killed. Another worker, Shiro Yamada, fell into the cavern and was submerged in a viscous, black mud. Yamada was not discovered for several hours, as the mud coated his body and clothing and rendered him invisible in the dark. After he was finally discovered, Yamada was incoherent and was quickly removed from sight. Taken to the infirmary, Yamada assaulted all around him and fled into the night. His dead body was discovered along the mountain road in the morning, having gouged at his head and eyes with his fingernails. The cause of death was observed to be shock.</p>
<h4>Effects</h4><p>The death of Tadashi Oda was publicized as an accident. After a week, the death of Shiro Yamada was also publicized, although the company claimed that his body was unable to be recovered, and that death was being declared based on presumption. As a result, the demand for safety inspection was increased, and no further fatalities were recorded during the construction.</p><p>Mentions of Yamada's actual cause of death were not publicized, and Ryosuke Nakano, the only member of the construction team to have seen Yamada during his bout of insanity, was fired the next day. The dam management changed drastically afterward. Nakano's claims about Yamada's death were addressed and dismissed by the management as symptoms of PTSD.</p>
<h4>Ryosuke Nakano</h4><p>Nakano suffered from chronic nightmares, which he was too terrified to discuss with anyone. In these nightmares, he felt his body being sucked into the earth and covered in a shiny, black fluid, which burned him from the inside. He occasionally observed scratches on his skin after waking up, which he could only explain by an unnoticed earlier accident. These inexplicable events caused him to doubt himself, and he began keeping excessive notes about his mental state, which he mixed in with his work papers for safety. Nakano occasionally invented words and sentences in his nightmares, which he transcribed on his papers.</p>
<h2>Kamakura</h2><p>A large, sprawling city, this town has everything that Higashi-Minato doesn't. The area around the high school and station is suburban, but much less jumbled and chaotic than Higashi-Minato. Students prefer to spend time here.</p>
<h3>Higashi-Kamakura High School</h3><p>A small high school, this building is built in the template of 1950s-1960s high schools found across the country. The class size averages around thirty per grade, and as such there are just four classes - one for each grade.</p>
<h4>Main Building</h4><p>The main building contains four classrooms, an auditorium, a gymnasium, a lunchroom, administrative offices, and an infirmary. The ground floor contains student lockers and the non-classroom rooms. All classrooms reside on the top floor. Administrative offices, such as teachers' lounges, teacher office, and the principal's room are scattered about. The second floor does not have hallways, and instead has open-air balconies. The roof is accessible by students.</p><p>The school possesses a student council, a baseball team, a music club, and several other unofficial clubs.</p>
<h4>Grounds</h4><p>The school grounds is relatively small, and contains several cherry trees, a gardening shack, and an athletic field. The field is currently configured for both baseball and soccer.</p>
<h3>Higashi-Kamakura Station</h3><p>This train station is a modern, large complex with walkways, electric signs, a PA system, an actual staff, and numerous comforts and kiosks. This is the end of the short train line to Higashi-Minato, although the station connects to the main train lines of Kamakura, which can be used to travel further into the city, or to other neighboring cities.</p>
<h2>1978–1979 Occult Club</h2><p>An occult club existed at the school from 1978 to 1979. The president was Sonohara Kotone, and the club was also attended by Yukimura Kaede. The club was shut down after the publications were ruled to be too disturbing, and a bad influence on the school.</p><p>Sonohara Kotone wrote and distributed the Kamakura Occult Zine during her time at the club, where three issues were assembled.</p>
<h3>Publications</h3>
<h4>KOZ Volume 1</h4><p>Published May 1978. The occult club introduces itself and provides various sign-up facts as well as yokai stories. The master copy resides in the school archives, and Kaede has one, but the rest are lost.</p>
<h4>KOZ Volume 2</h4><p>Published October 1978. Provides more facts on yokai, as well as spiritual locations around Kamakura, plus original artwork. The master copy is also in the school archives, and Kaede has one.</p>
<h4>KOZ Volume 3</h4><p>Published May 1979. Provided facts about the local area, plus further original artwork. Differing from issue 2, the art here contained disturbing scenes of torture, runes, and scenes of people being abducted by horrors and dragged into a subterranean spaceship by aliens. This was published but all issues were confiscated. The master copy and all 20 printed issues should reside in the school archives—but Akane stole issue 13. Reading this yields 0/1d4 sanity damage and +1 Cthulhu Mythos.</p>
<h4>KOZ Volume 4</h4><p>Never published. Would have been owned by Sonohara Kotone, and was an expose on the urban legend surrounding Higashi-Minato. Would be on Sonohara Kotone's personal belongings... unless her father found it, or she gave it to someone else.</p><p>Volume 4 yields some crucial facts—the shipwreck is interpreted as an otherworldly tomb, which is guarded by a local cult (actually the Water Authority). In this volume, Madame Yi appears as a shadowy, beclawed figure.</p>
<h2>Disappearance of Sonohara Kotone</h2><p>Sonohara Kotone went missing on 1982 4/15, and was last seen near a bridge in downtown Kamakura. The body was never recovered, and the death was ruled a suicide and the case closed.</p><p>Sonohara Kotone graduated from the high school in 1979, and her records are on file—she was unremarkable, but did excel at science. Kotone was also a mangaka, who published short horror stories in a school-wide publication. These would be on file in the school library. The stories eventually ended after they were described to be `too horrific'. Akane was definitely inspired by these.</p>
<h3>Effects</h3>
<h4>Sonohara Daichi</h4><p>Kotone's father, Sonohara Daichi, was a scientist at the Higashi-Yama Water Authority, and was involved with the weather station research. Truthfully, he was deeply involved with the shipwreck research, and had to abduct his daughter after an information breach, after which she was presented with two decisions: die, or fake her death to become a member of the Water Authority cult. She chose the latter.</p><p>Kotone's father lives in Kamakura, and is generally publicly accessible. Since he works with the water authority, any lines of questioning to him will immediately alert the authority, and implicate the people involved. He will be honest and frank about his daughter's death, but uphold the suicide narrative. He generally works with the water authority's weather monitoring plant, and keeps to himself.</p>
<h2>Death of Nakano Ryosuke</h2><p>A 39-year old father died in the rainy evening of April 27, 1985. The man was struck by the Higashi-Minato Local Train while riding his bicycle and died at the scene from blunt force trauma. A briefcase the man carried was split open and numerous papers were released into the wind. The train, while delayed significantly, continued to run for the remainder of the day. Very few passengers were on the train at the time. The train was driven by Kaede Yukimura, a recent hire.</p><p>Ryosuke was buried in the graveyard behind the Kawagami Shrine. His death was ruled a suicide, although no note was found.</p><p>Ryosuke Nakano's death was contributed to by a decline in his mental health. He was able to hide his poor health and lack of sleep by isolating himself from the family - sleeping in other rooms, going on business trips, and locking himself away to watch television. Nozomi Nakano will not allow herself to worry that this may have been infidelity - but this is the most plausible explanation. Nozomi will reveal facts about his life before the suicide, although she will have to be pressured to speak. Akane Nakano will also reveal these facts, but they will be tinged with poor memory and her naivety at the time.</p><p>Ryosuke Nakano worked on the construction of the Yama-no-Ue Dam from 1977 to 1983, when he was fired without explanation. This occupation is public knowledge, but the specifics of his employment are kept in the Yamamoto Construction Company's records.</p><p>Ryosuke Nakano brought his papers in his briefcase everywhere he went, as he was paranoid that his wife or someone else would find them. Therefore, it is unlikely that Nakano committed suicide; it is more probably that he was fleeing something.</p>
<h3>Effects</h3>
<h4>Higashi-Minato Scenic Railway</h4><p>The train was inspected for safety, and had its braking system and headlights replaced with newer models.</p><p>Several crossing bars were installed at cross-streets (which were widely regarded as unnecessary before), and the speed of the train was decreased for the commute in town, increasing the duration of the ride by three minutes.</p>
<h4>Nozomi Nakano</h4><p>Nakano was survived by a wife, Nozomi, and a teenage daughter, Akane. Nozomi became withdrawn and is rarely seen by the public, unlike her behavior prior to the suicide. Nozomi was bonded with Misaki Oda, another widow whose husband died of throat cancer, and now works part time and out of sight at the Kiosk.</p><p>Nozomi refuses to speak badly of her husband and will only reveal that she thinks he was sleeping with another woman when pressed. She will not reveal that she believes he killed himself from the shame of his infidelity.</p>
<h4>Akane Nakano</h4><p>Akane exhibited a pattern of violent and antisocial behavior at school that was attributed to anger. This lasted less than a month, after which she became withdrawn, and slowly healed over the years. Her art style shifted as a result, and she became more interested in death.</p>
<h3>Witnesses</h3><p>The witnesses to the scene were interviewed by Mayu Matsumoto. Passengers on the train were transported to the station, and Kaede Yukimura was transported to the police station for further questioning.</p>
<h4>Kaede Yukimura</h4><p>The conductor, Kaede Yukimura, resigned the next day and did not make further public appearances after a heartfelt and shameful apology. Yukimura was scapegoated by the railway company, and was replaced by a veteran driver, Daizo Hirano. Yukimura experiences ongoing nightmares.</p>
<h4>Jaya Haruhara</h4><p>Jaya was on the train at the time of the impact, and witnessed the papers flying and the direct aftermath, including an obscured view of the body. Jaya captured several papers flying from the scene and kept them, eventually searching for more. The suicide represented a shock to Jaya's system and she responded with obsession and increased suicidal ideation; she experiences ongoing hyperempathy with the incident.</p>
<h3>Investigation</h3>
<h4>Kei Watanabe</h4><p>The suicide was investigated by the local officer, Watanabe. Watanabe arrived on scene within minutes and all witnesses were moved away from the scene by the backup rookie officer, Mayu Matsumoto. Items from the briefcase were not collected, since no other officers were on scene; instead, Watanabe carried the body to the hospital, unsure if Nakano was deceased or could be revived. Upon returning to the scene, the contents of the briefcase had been destroyed by rain and wind, and no accurate estimate could be made regarding the content.</p><p>Watanabe refused to drive recklessly to the hospital in Kamakura, a fact that was later used to smear him as having contributed to the death by the townspeople. Nozomi Nakano refused to comment on this, having already shrunken from the public eye, but Akane naively responded, causing cold relations between the family and police.</p>
<h4>Pronouncement of Death</h4><p>Ryosuke Nakano was declared dead on arrival at the hospital, and the investigation into his body found no evidence of foul play contributing to death, according to the public report. Death was attributed to blunt force trauma to the head and spine, and undiagnosed major depression.</p>
<h2>Disappearance of Akane Nakano</h2><p>In the years following her father's death, Akane collected anecdotes about her father from various people involved with his life, and assembled a scrapbook. This effort began as a grieving process, and ended as a detective case. Kaede Yukimura agreed to interview with Akane out of her own guilt. Kenichi Yamamoto, the organizer of the dam construction unit, gave a restrained and funny interview. This scrapbook has become a treasured possession of Nozomi's, and she does not share the contents except with her own family. It is likely that Akane withheld any unusual or morbid events from the content of the scrapbook, seeing its value to her mother.</p><p>The "morbid" notes remain hidden in Akane's journal. These notes detail vague facts about the death of Tadashi Oda and the disappearance of Shiro Yamada. The notes also detail some of Ryosuke Nakano's more unusual behaviors, such as his isolation and coldness towards his family. These facts would be mixed in with her personal musings, diary entries, and other mundane scheduling, and would require extended research to understand.</p>
<h3>Akane's Investigation</h3><p>During the last year before her disappearance, Akane delved deeper into the history of Higashi-Minato, including its folk religion, broader anecdotes from the dam construction, and any other strange happenings. It is unclear what was discovered, as Akane kept the notes on her person at all times, and did not discuss them except as "research for a future horror manga". This provided some vague insight into the thematic nature of her findings. Deer and other animals had been discovered mutilated in the woods, as well as anecdotes about severely dismembered bodies (never recovered), or a beclawed monstrosity roaming the woods under the guise of a beautiful woman.</p><p>The night of her disappearance, Akane had claimed that she was going to sleep over at the house of Jaya Haruhara. Her mother thought this a regular occurrence, but did not interact with Jaya's mother out of agoraphobia. These never happened, and Akane chose Jaya because she was unlikely to contradict the rumors, and it would be plausible because Jaya was rumored to be a lesbian. Under this cover, Akane conducted firsthand research of various places that were otherwise impossible to investigate under everyday circumstances. This cover falsely implicates Jaya in the disappearance.</p>
<h4>Kenichi Yamamoto</h4><p>Akane conducted an unsuccessful interview with Kenichi Yamamoto nearly a month ago during ordinary circumstances, using the pseudonym Ikari Hotaru. She framed this as a historical essay, but honed in on the deaths reported during construction. Paranoid after the interview, Akane sought to trespass on the dam itself. She infiltrated the unoccupied barracks building and proceeded around the grounds by flashlight, ultimately discovering a poorly tended stone marker remembering Oda Tadashi and Yamada Shiro. It was at this time that other flashlights became visible, and Akane fled the scene.</p>
<h4>Occult Club</h4><p>Akane interviewed Kaede and saw the volumes she had, but did not take them. Akane also stole a copy of Volume 3 from the school archive, which Kaede would have known about.</p>
<h4>Sonohara Daichi</h4><p>Akane interviewed Daichi, which directly exposed and implicated her to the Water Authority.</p>
<h4>Akane's Research on Sunday, 10 May 1987</h4><p>Jaya knows that Akane would say she was with her, but would be out doing research. Jaya is aware in abstract of the purpose of the research—to find out what killed Akane's father.</p><p>Overnight, Akane broke in to the dam site. The site was occupied, although most workers were asleep.</p><p>Akane was seen on the side of the road leading to the dam by a gray van owned by the Water Authority, who became suspicious of her trespassing but did not stop.</p><p>While on the dam site, Akane drew near to the memorial for Yamada Shiro and Oda Tadashi.</p><p>Akane would have been captured by the Water Authority and taken down to the research level under the dam for imprisonment and questioning. At this level, Akane would be connected to the network of tunnelers below, who would pick up on her strong emotional signal and transmit it telepathically to other people on the surface who are in strong emotional distress (likely Jaya).</p><p>The Water Authority will plant a corpse on the road, unidentifiable and mangled as if by a bear attack or severe car accident. This will be placed near to the shrine entrance. This will be believed to be Akane, as the correct clothing would be on the body. The case for her manga would be emptied and left with the body.</p><p>The body actually is not Akane, but a member of the Water Authority who was sacrificed for the cover-up: Sonohara Kotone. The body will be unidentifiable and results inconclusive.</p>
<h4>Akane's Journal</h4><p>This diary is constructed with the knowledge that Nozomi would snoop or violate privacy to some extent. As a result, no information about Akane's investigation into her father's death or the unusual happenings around Higashi-Minato are recorded.</p><p>The diary will reference her "friendship" with Jaya as being study partners. This was constructed by both Akane and Jaya to hide their relationship.</p><p>Out of necessity, the diary will contain excuses for all the days Akane was out of the house. She will reference interviews and research assignments for class (which will not be corroborated by the assignment plans). This will accurately reflect dates where Akane did field research. However; Akane was smart enough to intermingle the excuses, so if she says she was with Jaya she may have been on research, and vice versa. The actual research she did (interviews, dam research, Water Authority research) will not be referenced, and citations will not hold up to investigation.</p><p>Takao will not reveal the abusive incident on the train as he believes he was in the right. The train conductor, or Officer Mayu, may know something. This incident is recorded in abstract detail in Akane's journal.</p><p>None of Akane's manga details are contained, despite it being well-known that she was carrying a manga around (that she wouldn't let anyone read). Se does mention meetings with publishers (also an excuse, that cannot be corroborated).</p><p>The journal is not detailed, and will paint Akane as succinct—in reality, Akane kept the lies and descriptions short for ease.</p>
<h3>Decoy Body</h3><p>The actual body, if exhaustively DNA tested, would belong to Sonohara Kotone, who was believed to have committed suicide at age 17, three years ago in Kamakura. Her father, Sonohara Daichi, is a ranking member of the Water Authority. Kotone gained too much information and was abducted in much the same way as Akane, but her disappearance was ruled as suicide. She physically resembles Akane—although the face will be destroyed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Characters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Character profiles and statistics as of the start of the scenario.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Enable creator skin if the tables look bad.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h2>Haruhara Jaya • <span class="small">Jaya Whitley</span>
</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>17F • High School Senior</p>
</div><p>A quiet, recalcitrant girl. Reveals herself as dryly and darkly witty when she does talk, often at her own deprecation. Although she won't talk about her emotions, even when pressed, she somewhat non-transparently idealizes and seeks affection from other people and adults as much as she pushes them away. She is only half aware that her mother is emotionally and physically abusive towards her, and this has led her into a complex state of isolation at home. Her father has moved away to the United States, and has been growing more and more emotionally distant.</p><p>Time spent at home is whittled away under constant tension, and she retreats into her room to be alone with her mind. She obsessively folds paper cranes until her fingers bleed, but doesn't know what she's wishing for; unfolding cranes and starting again if she gets too close to a thousand.</p><p>At school, she fades into the background, or is at best darkly enigmatic. She was bullied severely in previous schooling and this has left her shy and distrustful. Bullying continues in her current school with rumors that she is a lesbian (she doesn't know the truth). In her free time, she throws herself into nature and spends time with whatever place or animal she finds, often heedless of danger. This has given her a surprisingly encyclopedic knowledge of the city and wildlife, as she observes people go about their business from day to day. In school, she prefers mathematics (A+), and averages a C+ in other courses even without reading the textbook. She is seen as a delinquent by staff unfamiliar with her.</p><p>Jaya experiences suicidal ideation and has traumatic memories of when a local train she was on hit and killed a bicyclist, who was later revealed to have committed suicide. This event affects her greatly. She is afraid of automobiles and train crossings, but uses them anyway. This strength in coping also appears in interactions with her mother, who she will defy even at the risk of a fight.</p>
<h3>Characteristics</h3><ul>
<li>

<p>Jaya wants freedom from the trauma in her life, and will seek it with surprising conviction.</p>
</li>
<li>

<p>Jaya wants to understand her own sexuality and place in society. Despite her shyness, she will experiment with romance and friendship; despite being distrustful she is also naive from lack of experience.</p>
</li>
<li>

<p>Jaya's beliefs are flexible and often center on protecting herself, even if the cost is paradoxical. She will risk physical fighting for an emotional victory, compromise her disrespect of authority out of fear, and lie.</p>
</li>
<li>

<p>Jaya takes pleasure in being over-the-top emo and abrasive to authority. It helps her ignore or cope with very legitimate pain she experiences.</p>
</li>
</ul><h3>Stats</h3><table class="stats">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>STR</th>
<td>
<span class="small">9•22</span> <b>45</b>
</td>
<th>INT</th>
<td>
<span class="small">14•35</span> <b>70</b>
</td>
<th>HP </th>
<td>
<span class="small">8</span>/<b>8</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>CON</th>
<td>
<span class="small">12•30</span> <b>60</b>
</td>
<th>POW</th>
<td>
<span class="small">17•42</span> <b>85</b>
</td>
<th>SAN</th>
<td>
<span class="small">85</span>/<b>99</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>SIZ</th>
<td>
<span class="small">7•17</span> <b>35</b>
</td>
<th>EDU</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
<th>MOV</th>
<td>9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>DEX</th>
<td>
<span class="small">15•37</span> <b>75</b>
</td>
<th>APP</th>
<td>
<span class="small">13•32</span> <b>65</b>
</td>
<th>DB </th>
<td>-1</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><table class="stats">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Brawl</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
<th>Navigate</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Dodge</th>
<td>
<span class="small">7•18</span> <b>37</b>
</td>
<th>Psychology</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Listen</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•26</span> <b>52</b>
</td>
<th>Spot Hidden</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Mathematics</th>
<td>
<span class="small">12•30</span> <b>60</b>
</td>
<th>Stealth</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Natural World</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
<th>Survival (Urban)</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><ul>
<li>

<p>Jaya carries a small knife at all times.</p>
</li>
<li>

<p>Outside of school, Jaya will wear a leather jacket worth 1 point of armor.</p>
</li>
</ul><h3>Relationships</h3><ul>
<li>

<p>Jaya has been dating Akane Nakano, discretely. She has trouble hiding their relationship at school.</p>
</li>
<li>

<p>Jaya's mother is abusive and manipulative.</p>
</li>
<li>

<p>Jaya's father lives in Seattle and is emotionally distant.</p>
</li>
</ul><h2>Nakano Akane</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>17F • High School Senior</p>
</div><p>The beautiful, popular, missing girl at the heart of a local mystery. Unusually popular for a person so interested in manga; she is known for being a skilled artist and a bright-eyed friend. Akane's art took a turn for the violent after her father committed suicide by train several years ago, which was witnessed unknowingly by Jaya. The actual cause of death was never publicized, beyond that of an "accident", and no questions have been asked out of respect. Her worrisome behavior was observed initially by those around her, but was excused as grieving and eventually became hidden.</p><p>After her initial grieving process, Akane became a sort of small-time detective, often disguising her investigation as a sort of remembrance; she assembled a scrapbook from anecdotes from her fathers' friends, strangers he may have interacted with, and her father's own documents. At the time of his suicide, her father carried a briefcase of papers - mostly work related, but some personal; nearly all of which were lost to the winds and the rain.</p><p>The scrapbook effort led to another long-term investigation of unusual events around Higashi-Minato, including an apparent arson attempt at the local shrine, and the discovery of numerous mutilated deer carcasses that was associated, tentatively, with a bear attack. This second compilation was justified as research for a fictional horror manga Akane was attempting to have serialized. It was around this time that Akane disappeared.</p>
<h3>Stats</h3><table class="stats">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>STR</th>
<td>
<span class="small">8•20</span> <b>40</b>
</td>
<th>INT</th>
<td>
<span class="small">15•37</span> <b>75</b>
</td>
<th>HP </th>
<td>
<span class="small">9</span>/<b>9</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>CON</th>
<td>
<span class="small">9•22</span> <b>45</b>
</td>
<th>POW</th>
<td>
<span class="small">13•32</span> <b>65</b>
</td>
<th>SAN</th>
<td>
<span class="small">13</span>/<b>99</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>SIZ</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
<th>EDU</th>
<td>
<span class="small">11•27</span> <b>55</b>
</td>
<th>MOV</th>
<td>8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>DEX</th>
<td>
<span class="small">13•32</span> <b>65</b>
</td>
<th>APP</th>
<td>
<span class="small">12•30</span> <b>60</b>
</td>
<th>DB </th>
<td>0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><table class="stats">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Art/Craft (Manga)</th>
<td>
<span class="small">11•27</span> <b>55</b>
</td>
<th>Listen</th>
<td>
<span class="small">12•30</span> <b>60</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Charm</th>
<td>
<span class="small">7•17</span> <b>35</b>
</td>
<th>Persuade</th>
<td>
<span class="small">12•30</span> <b>60</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Dodge</th>
<td>
<span class="small">7•17</span> <b>32</b>
</td>
<th>Psychology</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Fast Talk</th>
<td>
<span class="small">8•20</span> <b>40</b>
</td>
<th>Spot Hidden</th>
<td>
<span class="small">14•35</span> <b>70</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Library Use</th>
<td>
<span class="small">8•20</span> <b>40</b>
</td>
<th>Stealth</th>
<td>
<span class="small">8•21</span> <b>42</b>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><h3>Relationships</h3><ul>
<li>

<p>Akane is in a relationship with Jaya, which she successfully hides from everyone around her.</p>
</li>
</ul><h2>Nakano Nozomi</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>41F • Widow</p>
</div><p>Traumatized by the suicide of her husband, Nozomi has withdrawn from the public eye, but has slowly developed a friendship with Oda Misaki, and was eventually hired for part-time work around the store. At a younger age, Nozomi still has a surprising amount of constitution, which is helpful to the elderly Oda.</p><p>After Akane's disappearance, Nozomi becomes extraordinarily anxious and will search for her daughter with intense resolve, despite her frailty.</p><p>After her husband's death, Nozomi became increasingly controlling and nosy towards her daughter, which led to conflict and emotional abuse.</p>
<h3>Stats</h3><table class="stats">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>STR</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
<th>INT</th>
<td>
<span class="small">15•37</span> <b>75</b>
</td>
<th>HP </th>
<td>
<span class="small">7</span>/<b>7</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>CON</th>
<td>
<span class="small">4•10</span> <b>20</b>
</td>
<th>POW</th>
<td>
<span class="small">13•32</span> <b>65</b>
</td>
<th>SAN</th>
<td>
<span class="small">65</span>/<b>99</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>SIZ</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
<th>EDU</th>
<td>
<span class="small">16•40</span> <b>80</b>
</td>
<th>MOV</th>
<td>8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>DEX</th>
<td>
<span class="small">11•27</span> <b>55</b>
</td>
<th>APP</th>
<td>
<span class="small">13•32</span> <b>65</b>
</td>
<th>DB </th>
<td>-1</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><h2>Haruhara Rukia • <span class="small">Rukia Whitley</span>
</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>40F • Pharmacist • Former Nurse</p>
</div><p>Jaya's mother; she deals badly with her own anxieties and illnesses and as a result inflicts significant damage on those around her. She does not believe herself responsible, and is in denial about being a good mother. The divorce with her husband has challenged her narcissism, and she has been unstable and drug-dependent for several years.</p><p>Rukia struggles to maintain her day job as a pharmacist. She previously earned an RN and worked in various hospitals throughout Kamakura.</p>
<h3>Goals</h3><ul>
<li>

<p>Rukia desperately wants to maintain control in her life, even as it collapses, and will resort to manipulation, denial, and blaming Jaya to escape pain.</p>
</li>
</ul><h3>Stats</h3><table class="stats">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>STR</th>
<td>
<span class="small">12•30</span> <b>60</b>
</td>
<th>INT</th>
<td>
<span class="small">15•37</span> <b>75</b>
</td>
<th>HP </th>
<td>
<span class="small">9</span>/<b>9</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>CON</th>
<td>
<span class="small">7•17</span> <b>35</b>
</td>
<th>POW</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
<th>SAN</th>
<td>
<span class="small">50</span>/<b>99</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>SIZ</th>
<td>
<span class="small">11•27</span> <b>55</b>
</td>
<th>EDU</th>
<td>
<span class="small">14•36</span> <b>73</b>
</td>
<th>MOV</th>
<td>8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>DEX</th>
<td>
<span class="small">7•17</span> <b>35</b>
</td>
<th>APP</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
<th>DB </th>
<td>0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><table class="stats">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Brawl</th>
<td>
<span class="small">8•20</span> <b>40</b>
</td>
<th>Psychology</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>First Aid</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
<th>Science (Pharmacy)</th>
<td>
<span class="small">12•30</span> <b>60</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Intimidate</th>
<td>
<span class="small">16•40</span> <b>80</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Medicine</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Persuade</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><h2>Paul Whitley</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>41M • Project Manager</p>
</div><p>Jaya's father who moved away to Seattle.</p>
<h2>Priya Rao</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>15F • Foreign Exchange Student • High School Sophomore</p>
</div><p>Priya is excessively talkative and social, and takes pride in not having a filter. She takes a striking - and to some, worrying - interest in the macabre, and will not shy away from gore or horror stories. Her actual experience with the matter is far less, although she overestimates her resilience. She has started an informal occult club at her school, and is known for eccentricity and awkward outspokenness.</p><p>Priya is selfish and will subtly work conversations towards herself and her own interests. She experiences feelings of anxiety and incompleteness if left out - this may stem from her fierce competition with her older brother, who was naturally popular with his peers. Her parents and family maintain regular contact from India while Priya completes her school year abroad.</p>
<h3>Characteristics</h3><ul>
<li>

<p>Priya wants to impress her peers and gain social standing and attention.</p>
</li>
<li>

<p>Priya wants to satisfy her demanding parents, and will use lies to do so.</p>
</li>
<li>

<p>Priya behaves as a small-time delinquent, and will disrespect the law.</p>
</li>
</ul><h3>Relationships</h3><ul>
<li>

<p>Priya has an unhealthy interest in Jaya, founded by a prying, entitled curiosity about Jaya's personal trauma.</p>
</li>
<li>

<p>Priya lives with Misaki Oda, her foreign exchange mother.</p>
</li>
</ul><h3>Stats</h3><table class="stats">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>STR</th>
<td>
<span class="small">11•27</span> <b>55</b>
</td>
<th>INT</th>
<td>
<span class="small">13•32</span> <b>65</b>
</td>
<th>HP </th>
<td>
<span class="small">11</span>/<b>11</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>CON</th>
<td>
<span class="small">13•32</span> <b>65</b>
</td>
<th>POW</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
<th>SAN</th>
<td>
<span class="small">30</span>/<b>99</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>SIZ</th>
<td>
<span class="small">9•22</span> <b>45</b>
</td>
<th>EDU</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
<th>MOV</th>
<td>9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>DEX</th>
<td>
<span class="small">13•32</span> <b>65</b>
</td>
<th>APP</th>
<td>
<span class="small">15•37</span> <b>75</b>
</td>
<th>DB </th>
<td>0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><table class="stats">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Acting</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
<th>Library Use</th>
<td>
<span class="small">8•20</span> <b>40</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Charm</th>
<td>
<span class="small">12•30</span> <b>60</b>
</td>
<th>Occult</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Dodge</th>
<td>
<span class="small">7•17</span> <b>32</b>
</td>
<th>Persuade</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Fast Talk</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
<th>Psychology</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Language (Hindi)</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
<th>Spot Hidden</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><ul>
<li>

<p>Priya usually has a small knife on her person, but is too scared to carry it in class.</p>
</li>
</ul><h2>Oda Misaki</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>62F • Kiosk Owner</p>
</div><p>Oda lives in a quiet house in the same neighborhood as Jaya. Her husband and adult child have passed away, and she maintains a loving shrine in her house. She is calm and resilient of mind when it comes to their deaths, and is at peace. Her loneliness led her to offer her house for foreign exchange students.</p><p>Oda is the cashier of a Kiosk store during the day, and is a quiet, everyday presence in the lives of the townspeople.</p>
<h3>Goals</h3><ul>
<li>

<p>Oda wants to retreat into a life of quiet remembrance and generosity for the sake of her family.</p>
</li>
</ul><h3>Relationships</h3><ul>
<li>

<p>Oda's only son, Tadashi, was killed in a dam construction accident in 1983.</p>
</li>
<li>

<p>Oda's husband passed away in 1970.</p>
</li>
</ul><h2>Matsumoto Mayu</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>32F • Police Officer • Station Attendant</p>
</div><p>Generally derided by her male peers, Matsumoto is a compassionate, if mildly incompetent, investigative officer. She is often stuck with boring, pointless, or otherwise degrading jobs that her peers won't do, such as parking enforcement, watches, or patrols. She is afraid to speak out about the misogyny she experiences at work, and as a result is often anxious about truly expressing herself around her colleagues.</p><p>In her personal life, she secretly loves animals, and works out a bit too frequently. Unironically enjoys soap operas. In the back of her mind, she wonders if she should have been a social worker or a therapist instead, but feels that change is long gone.</p><p>Matsumoto is well known among townspeople for her job as the ticket checker at the train station during peak hours.</p><p>Matsumoto has obsessive paranoia, if she is sufficiently stressed out.</p>
<h3>Relationships</h3><ul>
<li>

<p>Watanabe Kei is Matsumoto's partner. He is chauvinistic and uncomfortable.</p>
</li>
</ul><h3>Stats</h3><table class="stats">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>STR</th>
<td>
<span class="small">15•37</span> <b>75</b>
</td>
<th>INT</th>
<td>
<span class="small">11•27</span> <b>55</b>
</td>
<th>HP </th>
<td>
<span class="small">13</span>/<b>13</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>CON</th>
<td>
<span class="small">17•42</span> <b>85</b>
</td>
<th>POW</th>
<td>
<span class="small">8•20</span> <b>40</b>
</td>
<th>SAN</th>
<td>
<span class="small">40</span>/<b>99</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>SIZ</th>
<td>
<span class="small">9•22</span> <b>45</b>
</td>
<th>EDU</th>
<td>
<span class="small">11•27</span> <b>55</b>
</td>
<th>MOV</th>
<td>9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>DEX</th>
<td>
<span class="small">15•37</span> <b>75</b>
</td>
<th>APP</th>
<td>
<span class="small">11•27</span> <b>55</b>
</td>
<th>DB </th>
<td>+1d4</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><table class="stats">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Brawl</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
<th>Listen</th>
<td>
<span class="small">12•31</span> <b>62</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Climb</th>
<td>
<span class="small">8•20</span> <b>40</b>
</td>
<th>Psychology</th>
<td>
<span class="small">14•35</span> <b>70</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Dodge</th>
<td>
<span class="small">7•18</span> <b>37</b>
</td>
<th>Spot Hidden</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Drive Auto</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
<th>Stealth</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Firearms (Handgun)</th>
<td>
<span class="small">8•20</span> <b>40</b>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><h2>Watanabe Kei</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>38M • Police Officer</p>
</div><p>A hardened cop, Watanabe is unsympathetic towards criminals and tries to exude a jaded, uncaring air. In reality, he takes his job extremely seriously, and as a result is often mad at his peers. He often scapegoats Matsumoto for trivial problems, and uses her to blow off steam. Watanabe follows the law literally and stringently, even if that sacrifices apparent compassion.</p><p>Watanabe takes a "tough love" approach to his two sons, and often finds himself emotionally or physically unavailable for them. He experiences a lingering sense of regret over this, as well as his failed marriage with the boys' mother.</p>
<h3>Relationships</h3><ul>
<li>

<p>Father of Takao and Manabe.</p>
</li>
</ul><h3>Stats</h3><table class="stats">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>STR</th>
<td>
<span class="small">16•40</span> <b>80</b>
</td>
<th>INT</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
<th>HP </th>
<td>
<span class="small">12</span>/<b>12</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>CON</th>
<td>
<span class="small">13•32</span> <b>65</b>
</td>
<th>POW</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
<th>SAN</th>
<td>
<span class="small">50</span>/<b>99</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>SIZ</th>
<td>
<span class="small">12•30</span> <b>60</b>
</td>
<th>EDU</th>
<td>
<span class="small">11•29</span> <b>58</b>
</td>
<th>MOV</th>
<td>8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>DEX</th>
<td>
<span class="small">8•20</span> <b>40</b>
</td>
<th>APP</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
<th>DB </th>
<td>+1d6</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><h2>Watanabe Takao</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>18M • High School Senior</p>
</div><p>A rowdy high-school senior, he is at best a prankster and at worst a bully. The face who comes to mind when the word "delinquent" is used. He is a handsome, popular man who is proud of his sexual activity and thinks himself creative; he generally has little to no self-awareness and is often unaware of the hurt he causes. Plays soccer and makes fun of his younger brother, but will defend him if pressed.</p>
<h3>Relationships</h3><ul>
<li>

<p>Tried to date Nakano Akane once, after which he pursued her uncomfortably and was told to leave her alone.</p>
</li>
</ul><h3>Stats</h3><table class="stats">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>STR</th>
<td>
<span class="small">12•30</span> <b>60</b>
</td>
<th>INT</th>
<td>
<span class="small">9•22</span> <b>45</b>
</td>
<th>HP </th>
<td>
<span class="small">14</span>/<b>14</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>CON</th>
<td>
<span class="small">14•35</span> <b>70</b>
</td>
<th>POW</th>
<td>
<span class="small">9•22</span> <b>45</b>
</td>
<th>SAN</th>
<td>
<span class="small">45</span>/<b>99</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>SIZ</th>
<td>
<span class="small">14•35</span> <b>70</b>
</td>
<th>EDU</th>
<td>
<span class="small">9•22</span> <b>45</b>
</td>
<th>MOV</th>
<td>7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>DEX</th>
<td>
<span class="small">9•22</span> <b>45</b>
</td>
<th>APP</th>
<td>
<span class="small">15•37</span> <b>75</b>
</td>
<th>DB </th>
<td>+1d6</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><ul>
<li>

<p>Takao usually carries his baseball bat.</p>
</li>
</ul><h2>Watanabe Manabe</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>14M • High School Freshman</p>
</div><p>Takao's younger brother. Bribes people to buy him adult content from stores. Fat and plays baseball.</p>
<h2>Yukimura Kotori • <span class="small">Yukimura Kouta</span>
</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>17F • High School Senior</p>
</div><p>Kouta is closeted and goes by he/him and his birth name. Secret admirer of Jaya. A gentle, passive person who is often pressured to act in uncomfortable ways by masculinity. Will eventually reveal her name, Kotori, and use she/her.</p>
<h2>Yukimura Kaede</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>25F • Former Train Driver • Bartender</p>
</div><p>Kaede was the conductor of the Higashi-Minato Scenic Railway from 1982 to 1984. She resigned after a pedestrian was struck and killed by the train under her control. This death was ruled a suicide. She later moved to downtown Kamakura, and became a bartender.</p><p>Kaede is a lesbian and had a one-sided crush on Sonohara Kotone.</p>
<h3>Stats</h3><table class="stats">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>STR</th>
<td>
<span class="small">12•30</span> <b>60</b>
</td>
<th>INT</th>
<td>
<span class="small">12•30</span> <b>60</b>
</td>
<th>HP </th>
<td>
<span class="small">9</span>/<b>9</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>CON</th>
<td>
<span class="small">9•22</span> <b>45</b>
</td>
<th>POW</th>
<td>
<span class="small">12•30</span> <b>60</b>
</td>
<th>SAN</th>
<td>
<span class="small">60</span>/<b>99</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>SIZ</th>
<td>
<span class="small">11•27</span> <b>55</b>
</td>
<th>EDU</th>
<td>
<span class="small">11•29</span> <b>58</b>
</td>
<th>MOV</th>
<td>9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>DEX</th>
<td>
<span class="small">13•32</span> <b>65</b>
</td>
<th>APP</th>
<td>
<span class="small">13•32</span> <b>65</b>
</td>
<th>DB </th>
<td>0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><table class="stats">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Charm</th>
<td>
<span class="small">14•35</span> <b>70</b>
</td>
<th>Library Use</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Dodge</th>
<td>
<span class="small">7•17</span> <b>32</b>
</td>
<th>Occult</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Fast Talk</th>
<td>
<span class="small">4•10</span> <b>20</b>
</td>
<th>Persuade</th>
<td>
<span class="small">8•20</span> <b>40</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Fighting (Brawl)</th>
<td>
<span class="small">10•25</span> <b>50</b>
</td>
<th>Psychology</th>
<td>
<span class="small">12•30</span> <b>60</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Intimidate</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
<th>Spot Hidden</th>
<td>
<span class="small">6•15</span> <b>30</b>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><h2>Takeshi Sanosuke</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>42M • Fisherman • Chef</p>
</div><p>Chef Takeshi is a mainstay at the fish market in <i>Higashi-Minato</i>. Able to recognize an unfamiliar face on sight, he takes pride in keeping up with the townsfolk and genuinely befriends them. He owns a beloved fishing boat, the <i>Tachibana</i>, which is the source of many of his raucous stories. He is a genuinely skilled cook, and seeks to follow in his father's memory after he died in a storm aboard the <i>Tachibana</i>, which was found floating in the port several days later, bereft of the body. His father's wartime sword is displayed above the bar (with the proper license).</p>
<h3>Relationships</h3><ul>
<li>

<p>Happily married to Takeshi Shion, and has a daughter, Satsuki.</p>
</li>
</ul><h2>Takeshi Shion</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>39F • Literature Teacher</p>
</div><p>The high school's literature teacher is also married to Chef Takeshi.</p>
<h2>Takeshi Satsuki</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>3F • Toddler</p>
</div><p>Young child of Chef Takeshi and Shion.</p>
<h2>Mashima Shinobu</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>72M • Principal</p>
</div><p>Principal of the high school for over 30 years, Mashima is a tired, experienced man who would rather deal with problems "on time" rather than immediately.</p>
<h2>Sakamoto Yusuke</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>44M • High-School Teacher</p>
</div><p>A bookish, forceful, and unempathetic man; he teaches mathematics to both Jaya and Priya throughout the day. He uncharacteristically takes concern about Jaya's wellbeing, but is in no way equipped to understand or solve her problems.</p>
<h2>Hirano Daizo</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>36M • Train Driver</p>
</div><p>The current conductor of the Higashi-Minato Scenic Railway.</p>
<h2>Yamamoto Kenichi</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>55M • Construction Organizer</p>
</div><p>The organizer of the Yamamoto Construction Company, contracted by the Water Authority.</p>
<h2>Sonohara Daichi</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>57M • Water Authority Administrator</p>
</div><p>Kotone's father, Sonohara Daichi, was a scientist at the Higashi-Yama Water Authority, and was involved with the weather station research. Truthfully, he was deeply involved with the shipwreck research, and had to abduct his daughter after an information breach.</p>
<h2>Ichinomiya Jiro</h2>
<p></p><div class="subtitle">
  <p>50M • Construction Foreman</p>
</div><p>Head of the dam construction effort beyond the mountains of <i>Higashi-Minato</i>, Jiro is only seen in town exhausted or drunk after work. A fair, if basic foreman, he trusts his crew to take care of basic problems, and takes a hands-off approach. He cares more about finishing the job than doing it well, on time, or cleanly. A regular at Chef Takeshi's bar.</p>
  </div></div>
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